CSSCF Staff
| CSSCF Staff Member | Name | Position | About |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ariel Nicolaides | Research Coordinator (UBC-O) | Ariel Nicolaides is a PhD Candidate in History at the University of Western Ontario. Her research examines the enduring influence of colonial-era ideas on the development of international refugee policies through the preservation of narratives in archival documents. Focusing on the 20th century, her work explores how shifting legal definitions of refugees intersect with archival memory, record retention, and the reproduction of scholarly narratives. Central to this study is an analysis of the interplay between power, memory, and identity as preserved in international archives. In her work with the CSSCF, Ariel applies her research expertise to community-level initiatives that address adversity and broader social inequities. She is particularly interested in strengthening policies and procedures that enhance the cultural, physical, and emotional well-being of children, youth, and families. |
 | Kassandra Roul | Research Coordinator (UBC-O) | Kassandra is a Master’s student in Clinical Psychology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Her Master’s research examines police–community collaboration in responding to hate crimes, with a focus on trauma- and violence-informed, victim-centred approaches to interagency support. Within the CSSCF, she is interested in exploring childhood aggression, resilience in the face of adversity, and child welfare practices. She is particularly interested in how parental substance use and mental health influence children’s development and how service systems can better support families through trauma- and violence-informed approaches. Broadly, her work at the Centre seeks to strengthen prevention and intervention efforts that promote safety, well-being, and resilience among children and families facing adversity. When not conducting research or seeing clients, Kassandra can often be found in a hot yoga studio, spending time with friends, or enjoying the outdoor beauty of the Okanagan. |
 | Michelle O'Kane | Research Coordinator (UBC-V) | Michelle O'Kane is a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver) and a Registered Social Worker. Her research focuses on child protection systems, judgement and decision making, supervisory neglect as a maltreatment classification, and children in public space. |
CSSCF Okanagan Project Team Members
| CSSCF Okanagan Team Member | Name | Position | About |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Maryam Alghamdi | Practicum Student | Maryam Alghamdi has an MSc degree in health sciences, with a special research interest in understanding violence against women and children. Specifically, on how it is influenced by a lack of equitable access to the social determinants of health. Maryam is a second-year student at the School of Social Work at UBCO and enjoys spending time in nature, reading, and playing with her cat Lily. Projects: Developmental timing of ACEs/ Parenting pathways. |
 | Olivia Stevenson | Master of Social Work, Thesis Student | Olivia is a Master of Social Work thesis student (UBC-O) currently completing her research under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Dow-Fleisner. She is exploring how men in the family (fathers and brothers) impact the development of masculinity. She is passionate about community-based research and advancing social justice through evidence-informed practice. |
 | Georgia Cooper | Bachelor's of Psychology, Research Volunteer | Georgia Cooper is an undergraduate psychology student at UBC Okanagan. She has a strong research interest and passion for understanding human behaviour and exploring how cognitive and systematic biases can influence decision making. Currently, her contributions aim to raise awareness of inequalities and promote fair treatment to children and families who face social, cognitive, and physical barriers. |
 | Jyo Sahoo | Bachelor's of Psychology, Research Volunteer | Jyo Sahoo is a Psychology student with research interests in cognitive science, data analysis, and the application of machine learning in psychological research. Her work focuses on advancing methodologies to investigate mental health, developmental processes, and the role of digital environments in shaping behaviour. |
 | Jelena Komanchuk | Postdoctoral Fellow | Jelena Komanchuk, PhD, is nurse researcher at the University of British Columbia in the Okanagan. While working as a registered nurse, Jelena noticed that many children living in out-of-home care faced health and developmental difficulties. This inspired Jelena to pursue graduate school to research supports for children in out-of-home care. During her postdoctoral fellowship, Jelena’s research has focused on understanding and supporting sleep health in kinship and foster care. When she is not working, she enjoys hiking, skiing, paddleboarding, and curling up with a good book. |
CSSCF Vancouver Project Team Members
| CSSCF Vancouver Team Member | Name | Position | About |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Safiya Bhinder | MSW Practicum Student | Safiya is a registered social worker originally from Ontario, Canada currently completing her Master of Social Work at UBC. With five years of professional experience, she has worked in the domestic violence and youth mental health sectors, delivering both case management and counselling support. Safiya is committed to culturally responsive and anti-oppressive social work practice. Her research areas of interest include knowledge mobilization and addressing systemic inequities within child and family services. Drawing on her professional experience, Safiya is also interested in how research can be mobilized towards breaking cycles of violence and supporting children and families impacted by trauma. |
| Kayla Kenney | UBC-V Team Member | Kayla Kenney is a PhD Student at the UBC School of Social Work. Their doctoral research focuses on social work practice with younger trans and gender diverse people in healthcare. Kayla's research experience includes interviewing, focus groups, and participatory methods alongside trans and gender diverse (TGD) people. This builds on their clinical experience as a behavioural health clinician on a multi-disciplinary pediatric primary care team, providing counselling with TGD youth and families. Kayla maintains registration as a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) with the BC College of Social Workers. | |
 | Emily Li | Research Assistant | Emily Li is a 4th-year undergraduate student in the Honours Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. She is interested in studying the impact of cultural differences and family dynamics on child outcomes and wellbeing. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, hanging out with her cat, and reading romance novels! |
 | Kolbe Neva | Research Assistant | Kolbe Neva (he/him) is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the UBC Okanagan Campus. He is currently majoring in Psychology and minoring in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. Kolbe has a broad range of research interests and a few of which are child and adolescent development as well as assistance and resources for low-income homes. He has work experience as a summer student working for BGC Canada (formerly Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada) daycares and youth summer camps. Kolbe plans to advance his studies in graduate school in the upcoming years to become a registered Clinical Psychologist. He is a current volunteer for the 2024W Academic year. |
 | Maddie Cathcart | Research Assistant | Maddie is a 4th year BSW Student at the UBC School of Social Work and has a previous Bachelor’s in Sociology from UBC. Maddie’s research interests focus on the lived reality of macro social patterns, such as induced socio-economic status, experiences of economic systems and how these impact childhood access to resources that promote thriving development. Maddie plans to pursue some of these interests through a Masters of Public Policy and hopes to incorporate the valuable knowledge of social work practice into policy development and advocacy. |
 | Cathy Jiu | UBC-V Volunteer | Cathy (she/her) holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Psychology. Her interests span the areas of community engagement, and advocacy, equity and policy. As Knowledge Translation Assistant, she is most interested in exploring the facets of knowledge exchange and innovative dissemination methods, and how they can further facilitate the application of research to inform policymaking and social welfare programming. She hopes to pursue further studies in public health. |
 | Chelsea Lim | UBC-V Volunteer | Chelsea is a current UBC undergraduate majoring in Psychology and minoring in Health and Society. She is passionate about promoting safe, healthy, and positive development for children and adolescents, ensuring their immediate well-being and long-term success as they transition into adulthood. She has extensive experience in social service roles, working directly with children and youth across diverse settings. Driven by a commitment to fostering health equity for young people, Chelsea hopes to pursue further education in social work. |
(Last Update: July 4, 2025)